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Courtesy of The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
Sarah Solomon
Sasha Rogelberg | Staff Writer
W hile only 36 years old, Sarah Solomon has spent more
than a third of her life working at the Jewish Federation of
Greater Philadelphia.

Promoted to chief development officer from annual campaign
director at the end of September, Solomon oversees how the Jewish
Federation raises money to support its programs.

“Each year, we raise money to support the most vulnerable members
of our Jewish community and enrich Jewish lives. So we have programs
that we support to feed, clothe and shelter Jews that are in need here
in Greater Philadelphia, as well as in Israel and around the world. And
then also to ensure that our community
is thriving for generations to come,”
Solomon said. “We support identity-
and continuity-building programs that
create a deep sense of Jewish commu-
nity and identity in many different ways.”
Today, living in Center City with her
husband and two children, preparing to
join Congregation Rodeph Shalom so
her oldest son can begin his Hebrew
school education, Solomon knows
firsthand the importance of wanting to
secure the future of Jewish institutions
for the next generation.

Young donors want to secure the
physical safety of Jewish institutions
and engage in challenging conver-
sations about antisemitism, she said.

For a generation that doesn’t flock to
synagogues the same way its parents
did, engaging them in Jewish commu-
nity requires relationship building.

“Twenty-first century Jewry requires
inspired thinking and an awareness of
the elements that make Jewish living
fun and joyful, rather than obligatory,
and strengthening connections to the
Jewish community,” Solomon said.

Since Solomon became involved
at the Jewish Federation of Greater
Philadelphia 14 years ago, she’s
noticed development approaches
go from “transactional to transforma-
tional.” Instead of approaching Jews
for donations on an annual basis, the
organization has learned to connect
with donors on a program that is
personal to them. Young donors want to
be sure their money is going to projects
that come to fruition and reflect their
Jewish identity.

When Solomon became a volunteer
with Next Gen, a Jewish Federation affin-
ity group for 20- and 30-somethings,
she had the same hope in mind.

A Lower Merion native, Solomon grew
up attending Main Line Reform Temple
and attending URJ Camp Harlam. But
after getting a communications degree
from the University of Massachusetts
Amherst and joining the corporate
ranks at Live Nation Entertainment, she
lost connections to her Jewish roots.

Solomon spent a year as a volunteer
at Next Gen before becoming a Jewish
Federation donor and took a job as
development associate at Next Gen
before taking positions within Women’s
Philanthropy, Major Gifts and the
Sharon and Joseph Kestenbaum’s
Legacy Philanthropy Program. Not only
did she make friends within the Jewish
Federation, but she reconnected with
the same community that she fell in love
with as a child.

As chief development officer,
Solomon has ensured other kids get the
same summer camp experience she
did by growing the Jewish Federation’s
summer camp scholarship funds.

“My summers at Camp Harlam were,
by far, the most impactful on my life to
develop a sense of identity and Jewish
values,” she said. “And I think if we can
make this possible for all families who
want to do the same, that is certainly
our goal.”
Solomon also organized last year’s
Legacy Philanthropy Program, where 35
donors and their families, spanning four
generations, gathered to discuss the
Jewish Federation’s philanthropic goals.

“I really don’t know if anything like
this has ever taken place anywhere, in
terms of having all generations together
to talk about the importance of meeting
each other and the future of our philan-
thropy,” Solomon said.

“It was inspiring to have four genera-
tions together in one room who have the
shared commitment to change the world
through their philanthropy,” she said.

On a recent Jewish Federation
mission trip to Israel, Solomon saw the
impact of the organization’s fundrais-
ing work. She met with a mother from
Ukraine, who, within hours of war
breaking out, was extracted with her
son by the Jewish Federation using
emergency funds raised by the commu-
nity. The woman now has a job in Israel,
and her son goes to school there.

“The light we have provided to those
during their darkest days is certainly
something I am most proud of,” she
said. ■
srogelberg@midatlanticmedia.com JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
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